thompson



A F. THOMPSON. T oy Wagon and Cart.

No. 227,322. Patented May4, Isso.

* .WHIHIHHHIHIWIMMHM Y -l/ I JM J/Wffw"l J UNITED STATES ATFNF OFFICE,

ASA F. THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOY WAGON AND CART.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 227,322, dated May 4, 1880.

Application filed February 25, raso.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ASA F. THOMPSON of New York city, in the county and State of ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy lagons and Carts, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to that class of toys for the use of small children commonly known as wagons or carts,the object of the invention being to simplify and cheapen the cost of construction, and at the same time render the toy stronger, more durable, and less liable to damage during use, easy to be repaired in case of damage, and better adapted to obviate accidents to the users than are the toy wagons and carts as heretofore commonly made.

To accomplish all of this the invention consists, essentially, in making the two wheels out of a single block of wood land mounting this block upon the cart or wagon body by use of a pair of ordinary screw-eyes, involving certain peculiarities of construction and arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a toy wagon constructed and arranged in accordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the axis of one set of wheels, as upon the line x m of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective View, showing the improved form of wheels and the elements used in mountin g them upon the wagon-box, the several parts being shown as detached from each other, but ready to be applied. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a 'toy cart having my improved runninggear applied thereto in accordance with my invention.

Like letters, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In this class of toys the use of spoked wheels presents three prominent objections: irst, the cost of manufacturing the wheels themselves, which too greatly enhances the retail price of the toy, second, the expense of the axle,which must be neatlyturned to lit the hub of the wheel when properly secured tothe body of the wagon or cart and provided vwith an inside shoulder and an outside linchpin for the wheel to abut against 5' and, third, the danger of accident to childrens hands and fingers, which are frequently caught between the spokes and wedged against the box. The well-known solid wheels, or wheels cut from a solid bit of board, are likewise objectionable with regard to the matter of accident to the childrens hands and tin. gers, being located outside of the box. These, having no hubs, are liable to wabble about upon the axles, especially after much use, and the axles, as in the case of the spoked wheels, require to be neatly-turned and afterward properly secured to the box and provided with suitable shoulders and linchpins. This form of wheel is also objectionable to most children on account of its clumsy and unworkmanlike appearance, practically interfering with the sale of toys so made.

' To obviate all these objections I locate the running-gear of my improved toy within the lower part of the box or body, and construct and arrange the parts as follows:

A represents the side of the box or body of the toy wagon or cart, within which is the bottom board, C, located at a little distance above the lower edges of the sides and rmly secured by nails, screws, or pins, as at b. The inclosed space beneath the bottom board, O, forms a housing for the upper half of the running-gear, as plainly shown.

To form the running-gear I make two of the wheels B, having a common axle, out of a single block of wood, hollowing out the block in the center, as at E, so that the gear may pass over any trifling obstacle, and leaving a good broad tread for the wheels at each end, in order to insure steadiness and ease of motion. This block is cut of such a length as to fit and turn nicely in between the two projecting sides A A, thus dispensing with the hubs and spokes and turned axle-shoulders. In the center of each end of the block is a pin or screw, a, of suficient length to afford a good bearing for the weight of the toy and its contents, and these pins or screws forni the axles upon which the wheels are made to turn.

The axles are secured to the projecting edges IOO of the box or body by means of simple metal screw-eyes, such as are usually employed upon picture-frames and the like. As the weight of the toy and its contents are made to bear down upon the axles a, these screw-eyes e form very convenient axle-boxes, receiving the strain and Wear upon their solid portions, and being amply strong for the purposes intended. They are easily adjusted in proper place by turning them into the lower edge of the box without any previous preparation. The pins or screws a, forming the axles, are in like manner driven or turned into the ends of the blocks B B, and the runnin g-gear thus mounted and finished.

For a toy wagon two sets of the improved running-gear are applied, as indicated in Fig. l. The toy cart only differs from the wagon in having one block, or two wheels, instead of four, and a handle or tongue, as indicated in Fig. 4.

As thus constructed and arranged it will be observed that the improved toy is solid and strong, notliable to get-out of order, easy to be repaired in case of damage, and the runninggear being located beneath the box, there is littleor no liability of wedging the hands or iingers between the w heels and surrounding parts. One-half the wheel being covered, it presents a more pleasing appearance than the beforementioned solid board wheel. The turned axle is dispensed with, and no shoulders other than those furnished by the ends of the blocks themselves are required.

The toy is found in practice to run smoothly and to admirably answer the several purposes and objects of the invention, as previously stated.

The block B B E might be cast, if desired; but it is preferred to make it of wood, on account of its extreme cheapness and the ease with which it can be mounted.

The parts may be packed and shipped in their separated condition, to be readily and easily put together when required for use or to be exposed for sale.

The mere outline of the wagon or cart body is, of course, no material feature of the invention.

It is not anticipated that the features herein referred to would have any practicable Value if applied to wagons or carts other than the mere toys used by the small children.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a toy wagon or cart, the two opposite wheels B B, formed of a single block having a cut-away portion, E, said block being` mounted upon the lower edges of the box or body and secured thereto by means ofthe screw-eye e and pins or screws a, all combined and arranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the herein-described toy wagon or cart, composed ofthe box or body having bott-om board, C, secured therein at a point above the lower edges of the box, the block B B E, forming the running-gear, the screws or pins a., and the screweyes e, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as shown and described.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ASA F. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

WORTH OsGrooD, ARTHUR M. Pinnen. 

